1821. Death of Napoleon. Coronation of George IV. Death and Funeral of Queen Caroline
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1 1821 1821. Death of Napoleon. Coronation of George IV. Death and funeral of Queen Caroline. January 1st-December 31st 1821 Edited from BL.Add.Mss.56541-4 On January 1st 1821 Hobhouse shoots in the fields around Whitton, in the midst of a “hard frost”. On January 2nd he goes on, as he would put it, “stupefying” himself, by writing letters, cutting out from newspapers, shooting, eating and drinking. The same inactivity continues on January 3rd and 4th . On January 5th he hears of “a county meeting in Wiltshire”, and writes “to Methuen and High Sheriff Goddard to put my name to requisition”. Inactivity continues (“Epicuri de gorge porces”) on January 6th . On January 7th , Methuen answers: … he afraid of my coming down to preach radical doctrines at Devizes – these men think the Reformers fools – without deference to time or place. I wrote and told him his mistake, saying I should come down, but should not speak unless the Whigs said anything about blasphemy and sedition, in which case nothing should prevent me from censuring such odious and pernicious hypocrisy. I wrote to Tom Smith to the same purpose. On January 9th the Hobhouses are having a ball, so on January 8th Hobhouse writes letters and tidies his room in preparation. How these activities do help prepare for a ball, he doesn’t say. The ball on January 9th brings forth a capital piece of Hobhousean self- portraiture: As before – setting books to rights. In evening, we had a ball [with] all the folks of the neighbourhood – I danced with a Miss Johnstone, daughter of Sir A. Johnstone, Governor-General of Ceylon. She employed herself in being smart – telling me, truly enough, that I could not dance, but went on so long in this vein that I was tired and disgusted. However, she has stopped my capering for ever, for it is not good to be doing anything in a very bungling way. Sam Whitbread, also a novice at the amusement, danced. Up all night. Samuel Whitbread Jr stays on January 10th : … he told me the Whigs would never again oppose me in Westminster – told me 2 1821 they did not know me before, &c. He asked me seriously whether I had not written the Trifling Mistake knowing I should be sent to Newgate. He told me Whigs never wrote circulars to him. Told me Lord Grey was a very “unkind” relation to all but his children, and had done nothing for him or his. He is going to [the] County of Bedford meeting. [The] Times filled with accounts of County meetings, some called by “antiministerialists” and others by “loyalists”, as they call themselves, but at almost all of which the latter [are] beaten. The government has put in motion loyal addresses for the Gazette, and yet scar[c]e one of the loyal addresses approves of [the] proceedings against the Queen, or speaks of ministers at all – they confine themselves by decrying “blasphemy and sedition”. Miss Byngs, Colonel and Miss Marley, &c., dined with us. The excellent Samuel Whitbread went away last night. Thursday January 11th : Employed as usual. Mrs William Smith came to stay here. She an agreeable woman, and preserves her spirits though let down in life: from being the wife of the reputed richest commoner in England, with a house in country and in town, to the wife of half a bankrupt, living in or over a shop in Minching Lane. How the change has been brought about is not known, but it is said William Smith 1 has somehow or other lost £150,000. Friday January 12th : As usual, with newspapers &c. William Smith came here: he is not much of a man of talent, but is milder and more agreeable than in days of yore. Saturday January 13th : Rode to London with Isaac to look at lodgings or houses – saw good lodgings [at] 14 Park Place St James’s, and very nearly concluded a bargain, but agreed to be off until Monday. My father has offered to help me in this way, and would, if I had chosen, have taken rooms for me in Albany. Came back to dinner. On January 14th Hobhouse writes letters: on January 15th he thinks of riding to Wiltshire but then changes his mind. Tuesday January 16th : Went in the Swindon coach to Fulwar Craven’s Chilton House – dined there with young Thomas. Heard some instances of the tyranny of Popham of Littlecot, and of the subserviency of some Ramsbury clients. Craven leads a strange life: he has lost £300 by farming this year, though he has got up at 1: William Smith, MP – the enemy of Southey. 3 1821 five in the morning. Wednesday January 17th : Craven drove me over to Devizes in his Tilbury 2 – we breakfasted at Marlborough. The meeting at Devizes was most excellent. Previous to going on [the] hustings, Lord Lansdowne asked me whether I was for the insertion of the Queen’s name in the liturgy – I said most certainly – he said he had no objection. Presently Sir Edward Poore, a Tory – young man – who was the move the address – said he could not go so far as that. Paul Methuen supported the liturgy. Presently Burdett came, and supported it: so it was resolved it should be demanded, and that Poore should only second the address. Tom Smith and Thomas of Malmesbury were there. The Chair was taken at one. Paul Methuen opened [the] proceedings, High Sheriff Goddard in the chair. Young Ivy made a long speech. It was unnecessary for Burdett or myself to be prominent, for Calley, late MP for Cricklade, and and Robert Gordon, now MP, made reforming, anti-Whig speeches. Lord Lansdowne said he was not prepared to support the corruptions of parliament. Burdett and I tried not to speak, but after [the] Sheriff had been thanked, we were called upon, one after the other, and were very well received indeed. This I thought a singular sign in such a county; but in fact a very great change has taken place in public opinion. The ministers are almost universally held in odium, yet will they prevail in parliament, as I told the meeting. Burdett, our MP, spoke well, and out fairly. Astley said he would promise nothing. All went off excellently after the meeting. My old friend and fellow sportsman James Watson came up to me – he had ridden up on purpose to see me – he told me he had made a little fortune by farming, and was about to purchase land. He said he was in great consternation at my being sent to Newgate, and had intended to come up to London to take me to task for my impudence. He told Thomas Kembray and Samuel Sawyer, my father’s old servants, that I should have my head cut off, and they believed it and cried bitterly – so he said. Burdett wanted me to go back to Bath but I could not. Returned with Craven to Whitton – twenty-four miles – and dined at nine o’clock. Craven gave me a singular account of the depravity which he had discovered in his servants’ hall: the butcher used to sleep with two of the maids every night. The toast after dinner was ——. The men used to display their αιδοια . An old fellow threw a farthing over his head from his ——, the man’s son being present. The women were present, and were not unemployed. When Craven turned off all his servants, the butcher told him he had lived forty years in gentlemen’s houses, and Mr Craven might depend upon it, the same thing was going on in every 2: A tilbury was a light, open, two-wheel carriage. 4 1821 family in England. The men took the French method to prevent the girls from breeding. Thursday January 18th : Craven drove me over to Newbury in his Tilbury – at Hungerford we saw a loyal address, to which were signatures of John Pearce’s bailiffs, and other persons not freeholders. At Newbury we walked about, and Craven pinched the girls – at the same time he signed an order for application of a bastard – which seems the great employment in this county. I had no idea of the general profligacy. I got into a chaise at Mrs Botham’s, and going away Mrs Botham told me how much everybody was obliged to me for coming down on this occasion, and hoped I would do her the honour to accept a couple of wild ducks. I took them – this is all I ever got or shall get for my patriotism!! Drove to Reading. There walked two miles and got into the Regulator coach. Arrived at Hounslow at nine – came home, &c. Friday January 19th : I have lately had some fuss with Francis Place. He has been wanting Burdett and me to go up with the High Bailiff to the Queen with the Westminster address. The death of the Queen’s last brother has put off the presentation of this address – luckily, or neither of us could have gone. After some difficulty I have persuaded Burdett to go. Place is still afraid of Cobbett – though that scoundrel has now quarreled with his last friend in Westminster – Benbow – whom he has tried to cheat, and who has now gone over to The Rump. A thing is just published concerning Cobbett, called The Book of Wonders , illustrated by Cruikshank, Hone’s engraver in wood. It is very clever, and sets Cobbett’s inconsiderateness in a very curious light. Employed looking over papers, &c. Saturday January 20th : Cobbett having announced a letter against the Whigs for this day, gives, this day, a letter showing the Whigs are not rogues.